Association Between Young Adult Characteristics and Blood Pressure Trajectories.

BACKGROUND: Blood pressure (BP) trajectories from young adulthood through middle age are associated with cardiovascular risk. We examined the associations of hypertension risk factors with BP trajectories among a large diverse sample. METHODS AND RESULTS: We analyzed data from young adults, aged 18 to 39 years, with untreated BP <140/90 mm Hg at baseline from Kaiser Permanente Southern California (N=355 324). We used latent growth curve models to identify 10-year BP trajectories and to assess the associations between characteristics in young adulthood and BP trajectories. We identified the following 5 distinct systolic BP trajectories, which appeared to be determined mainly by the baseline BP with progressively higher BP at each year: group 1 (lowest BP trajectory, 7.9%), group 2 (26.5%), group 3 (33.0%), group 4 (25.4%), and group 5 (highest BP trajectory, 7.3%). Older age (adjusted odds ratio for 30-39 versus 18-29 years, 1.23 [95% CI, 1.18-1.28]), male sex (13.38 [95% CI, 12.80-13.99]), obesity (body mass index ≥30 versus 18.5-24.9 kg/m2, 14.81 [95% CI, 14.03-15.64]), overweight (body mass index 25-29.9 versus 18.5-24.9 kg/m2, 3.16 [95% CI, 3.00-3.33]), current smoking (1.58 [95% CI, 1.48-1.67]), prediabetes (1.21 [95% CI, 1.13-1.29]), diabetes (1.60 [95% CI, 1.41-1.81]) and high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (≥160 versus <100 mg/dL, 1.52 [95% CI, 1.37-1.68]) were associated with the highest BP trajectory (group 5) compared with the reference group (group 2). CONCLUSIONS: Traditional hypertension risk factors including smoking, diabetes, and elevated lipids were associated with BP trajectories in young adults, with obesity having the strongest association with the highest BP trajectory group.

Lay Health Worker Interventions in Rheumatology: A Scoping Review.

OBJECTIVE: To determine next steps for lay health worker (LHW) intervention research, specifically in patients with rheumatic musculoskeletal diseases (RMD), there is a need to establish what strategies have been effective for chronic disease management thus far. The goal of this scoping review is to collate the literature of LHW interventions for adults with RMD to inform next steps for LHW research. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was performed in the following databases from inception - September 2021: Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and The Cochrane Library. Studies retrieved were then screened for eligibility against predefined inclusion/exclusion criteria. RESULTS: Twenty-two articles were eligible and included in this review. The most common RMD studied diseases, not mutually exclusive, were osteoarthritis (n=13), rheumatoid arthritis (n=9), and unspecified/other RMD (n=14). Most studies had a homogenous patient population enrolling White, non-Hispanic or Latina females over the age of sixty (n=13). Eight studies observed statistically significant results in the intervention arm compared to the control. Only one of these studies exhibited sustained treatment effects past one year. CONCLUSION: There are not enough data to conclude if LHW interventions have a positive, null, or negative effect in patients with RMD. Future LHW interventions should specify a priori hypotheses, be powered to detect statistical significance for primary outcomes, employ a theoretical framework, include an active control, describe training protocols for LHW, and increase minority representation, in order to establish the effectiveness of LHW for patients with RMD.

Spectrum of prevalent cardiovascular diseases in urban Port-au-Prince, Haiti: a population-based cross-sectional study.

Background: Eighty percent of global cardiovascular disease (CVD) is projected to occur in low- and middle -income countries (LMICs), yet local epidemiological data are scarce. We provide the first population-based, adjudicated CVD prevalence estimates in Port-au-Prince, Haiti to describe the spectrum of heart disease and investigate associated risk factors. Methods: Demographic, medical history, clinical, imaging and laboratory data were collected among adults recruited using multistage random sampling from 2019 to 2021. Prevalent CVD (heart failure, stroke, ischemic disease) were adjudicated using epidemiological criteria similar to international cohorts. Multivariable Poisson regressions assessed relationships between risk factors and prevalent CVD. Findings: Among 3003 participants, median age was 40 years, 58.1% were female, 70.2% reported income <1 USD/day, and all identified as Black Haitian. CVD age-adjusted prevalence was 14.7% (95% CI 13.3%, 16.5%), including heart failure (11.9% [95% CI 10.5%, 13.5%]), stroke (2.4% [95% CI 1.9%, 3.3%]), angina (2.1% [95% CI 1.6%, 2.9%]), myocardial infarction (1.0% [95% CI 0.6%, 1.8%]), and transient ischemic attack (0.4% [95% CI 0.2%, 1.0%]). Among participants with heart failure, median age was 57 years and 68.5% of cases were among women. The most common subtype was heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (80.4%). Heart failure was associated with hypertension, obesity, chronic kidney disease, depression, and stress. Interpretation: Early-onset heart failure prevalence is alarmingly high in urban Haiti and challenge modelling assumptions that ischemic heart disease and stroke dominate CVDs in LMICs. These data underscore the importance of local population-based epidemiologic data within LMICs to expedite the selection and implementation of evidence-based cardiovascular health policies targeting each country's spectrum of heart disease. Funding: This study was funded by NIH grants R01HL143788, D43TW011972, and K24HL163393, clinicaltrials.govNCT03892265.

Ambulatory Care Fragmentation and Total Health Care Costs.

BACKGROUND: The magnitude of the relationship between ambulatory care fragmentation and subsequent total health care costs is unclear. OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between ambulatory care fragmentation and total health care costs. RESEARCH DESIGN: Longitudinal analysis of 15 years of data (2004-2018) from the national Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study, linked to Medicare fee-for-service claims. SUBJECTS: A total of 13,680 Medicare beneficiaries who are 65 years and older. MEASURES: We measured ambulatory care fragmentation in each calendar year, defining high fragmentation as a reversed Bice-Boxerman Index ≥0.85 and low as <0.85. We used generalized linear models to determine the association between ambulatory care fragmentation in 1 year and total Medicare expenditures (costs) in the following year, adjusting for baseline demographic and clinical characteristics, a time-varying comorbidity index, and accounting for geographic variation in reimbursement and inflation. RESULTS: The average participant was 70.9 years old; approximately half (53%) were women. One-fourth (26%) of participants had high fragmentation in the first year of observation. Those participants had a median of 9 visits to 6 providers, with the most frequently seen provider accounting for 29% of visits. By contrast, participants with low fragmentation had a median of 8 visits to 3 providers, with the most frequently seen provider accounting for 50% of visits. High fragmentation was associated with $1085 more in total adjusted costs per person per year (95% CI $713 to $1457) than low fragmentation. CONCLUSIONS: Highly fragmented ambulatory care in 1 year is independently associated with higher total costs the following year.

Practice Facilitation and Peer Coaching for Uncontrolled Hypertension Among Black Individuals: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Rural Black participants need effective intervention to achieve better blood pressure (BP) control. Objective: Among Black rural adults with persistently uncontrolled hypertension attending primary care clinics, to determine whether peer coaching (PC), practice facilitation (PF), or both (PCPF) are superior to enhanced usual care (EUC) in improving BP control. Design, Setting, and Participants: A cluster randomized clinical trial was conducted in 69 rural primary care practices across Alabama and North Carolina between September 23, 2016, and September 26, 2019. The participating practices were randomized to 4 groups: PC plus EUC, PF plus EUC, PCPF plus EUC, and EUC alone. The baseline EUC approach included a laptop for each participating practice with hyperlinks to participant education on hypertension, a binder of practice tips, a poster showing an algorithm for stepped care to improve BP, and 25 home BP monitors. The trial was stopped on February 28, 2021, after final data collection. The study included Black participants with persistently uncontrolled hypertension. Data were analyzed from February 28, 2021, to December 13, 2022. Interventions: Practice facilitators helped practices implement at least 4 quality improvement projects designed to improve BP control throughout 1 year. Peer coaches delivered a structured program via telephone on hypertension self-management throughout 1 year. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was the proportion of participants in each trial group with BP values of less than 140/90 mm Hg at 6 months and 12 months. The secondary outcome was a change in the systolic BP of participants at 6 months and 12 months. Results: A total of 69 practices were randomized, and 1209 participants' data were included in the analysis. The mean (SD) age of participants was 58 (12) years, and 748 (62%) were women. In the intention-to-treat analyses, neither intervention alone nor in combination improved BP control or BP levels more than EUC (at 12 months, PF vs EUC odds ratio [OR], 0.94 [95% CI, 0.58-1.52]; PC vs EUC OR, 1.30 [95% CI, 0.83-2.04]; PCPF vs EUC OR, 1.02 [95% CI, 0.64-1.64]). In preplanned subgroup analyses, participants younger than 60 years in the PC and PCPF groups experienced a significant 5 mm Hg greater reduction in systolic BP than participants younger than 60 years in the EUC group at 12 months. Practicewide BP control estimates in PF groups suggested that BP control improved from 54% to 61%, a finding that was not observed in the trial's participants. Conclusions and Relevance: The results of this cluster randomized clinical trial demonstrated that neither PC nor PF demonstrated a superior improvement in overall BP control compared with EUC. However, PC led to a significant reduction in systolic BP among younger adults. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02866669.

Neighborhood Disadvantage and Risk of Heart Failure: The Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Study.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) affects >6 million US adults, with recent increases in HF hospitalizations. We aimed to investigate the association between neighborhood disadvantage and incident HF events and potential differences by diabetes status. METHODS: We included 23 645 participants from the REGARDS study (Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke), a prospective cohort of Black and White adults aged ≥45 years living in the continental United States (baseline 2005-2007). Neighborhood disadvantage was assessed using a Z score of 6 census tract variables (2000 US Census) and categorized as quartiles. Incident HF hospitalizations or HF-related deaths through 2017 were adjudicated. Multivariable-adjusted Cox regression was used to examine the association between neighborhood disadvantage and incident HF. Heterogeneity by diabetes was assessed using an interaction term. RESULTS: The mean age was 64.4 years, 39.5% were Black adults, 54.9% females, and 18.8% had diabetes. During a median follow-up of 10.7 years, there were 1125 incident HF events with an incidence rate of 3.3 (quartile 1), 4.7 (quartile 2), 5.2 (quartile 3), and 6.0 (quartile 4) per 1000 person-years. Compared to adults living in the most advantaged neighborhoods (quartile 1), those living in neighborhoods in quartiles 2, 3, and 4 (most disadvantaged) had 1.30 (95% CI, 1.06-1.60), 1.36 (95% CI, 1.11-1.66), and 1.45 (95% CI, 1.18-1.79) times greater hazard of incident HF even after accounting for known confounders. This association did not significantly differ by diabetes status (interaction P=0.59). For adults with diabetes, the adjusted incident HF hazards comparing those in quartile 4 versus quartile 1 was 1.34 (95% CI, 0.92-1.96), and it was 1.50 (95% CI, 1.16-1.94) for adults without diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: In this large contemporaneous prospective cohort, neighborhood disadvantage was associated with an increased risk of incident HF events. This increase in HF risk did not differ by diabetes status. Addressing social, economic, and structural factors at the neighborhood level may impact HF prevention.

Association of Healthy Lifestyle and Incident Polypharmacy.

BACKGROUND: Polypharmacy, commonly defined as taking ≥5 medications, is an undesirable state associated with lower quality of life. Strategies to prevent polypharmacy may be an important priority for patients. We sought to examine the association of healthy lifestyle, a modifiable risk factor, with incident polypharmacy. METHODS: We performed a secondary analysis of the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) cohort study, including 15,478 adults aged ≥45 years without polypharmacy at baseline. The primary exposure was healthy lifestyle at baseline as measured by the Healthy Behavior Score (HBS), a cumulative assessment of diet, exercise frequency, tobacco smoking, and sedentary time. HBS ranges from 0-8, whereby 0-2 indicates low HBS, 3-5 indicates moderate HBS, and 6-8 indicates high HBS. We used multinomial logistic regression to examine the association between HBS and incident polypharmacy, survival without polypharmacy, and death. RESULTS: Higher HBS (i.e., healthier lifestyle) was inversely associated with incident polypharmacy after adjusting for sociodemographic and baseline health variables. Compared with participants with low HBS, those with moderate HBS had lower odds of incident polypharmacy (odds ratio [OR] 0.85; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.73-0.98) and lower odds of dying (OR 0.74; 95% CI, 0.65-0.83). Participants with high HBS had even lower odds of both incident polypharmacy (OR 0.75; 95% CI, 0.64-0.88) and death (OR 0.62; 95% CI, 0.54-0.70). There was an interaction for age, where the association between HBS and incident polypharmacy was most pronounced for participants aged ≤65 years. CONCLUSIONS: Healthier lifestyle was associated with lower risk for incident polypharmacy.

Risk Prediction for Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease With and Without Race Stratification.

Importance: Use of race-specific risk prediction in clinical medicine is being questioned. Yet, the most commonly used prediction tool for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD)-pooled cohort risk equations (PCEs)-uses race stratification. Objective: To quantify the incremental value of race-specific PCEs and determine whether adding social determinants of health (SDOH) instead of race improves model performance. Design, Setting, and Participants: Included in this analysis were participants from the biracial Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) prospective cohort study. Participants were aged 45 to 79 years, without ASCVD, and with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level of 70 to 189 mg/dL or non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level of 100 to 219 mg/dL at baseline during the period of 2003 to 2007. Participants were followed up to 10 years for incident ASCVD, including myocardial infarction, coronary heart disease death, and fatal and nonfatal stroke. Study data were analyzed from July 2022 to February 2023. Main outcome/measures: Discrimination (C statistic, Net Reclassification Index [NRI]), and calibration (plots, Nam D'Agostino test statistic comparing observed to predicted events) were assessed for the original PCE, then for a set of best-fit, race-stratified equations including the same variables as in the PCE (model C), best-fit equations without race stratification (model D), and best-fit equations without race stratification but including SDOH as covariates (model E). Results: This study included 11 638 participants (mean [SD] age, 61.8 [8.3] years; 6764 female [58.1%]) from the REGARDS cohort. Across all strata (Black female, Black male, White female, and White male participants), C statistics did not change substantively compared with model C (Black female, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.68-0.75; Black male, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.64-0.73; White female, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.74-0.81; White male, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.64-0.71), in model D (Black female, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.67-0.75; Black male, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.63-0.72; White female, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.73-0.80; White male, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.65-0.71), or in model E (Black female, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.68-0.76; Black male, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.64-0.72; White female, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.74-0.80; White male, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.65-0.71). Comparing model D with E using the NRI showed a net percentage decline in the correct assignment to higher risk for male but not female individuals. The Nam D'Agostino test was not significant for all race-sex strata in each model series, indicating good calibration in all groups. Conclusions: Results of this cohort study suggest that PCE performed well overall but had poorer performance in both BM and WM participants compared with female participants regardless of race in the REGARDS cohort. Removal of race or the addition of SDOH did not improve model performance in any subgroup.

Building knowledge using a novel web-based intervention to promote HPV vaccination in a diverse, low-income population.

OBJECTIVES: HPV vaccination rates remain suboptimal despite proven efficacy. Data suggest misconceptions or lack of knowledge are leading barriers. Our study aimed to develop and pilot a novel interactive education resource designed to educate parents and patients about HPV vaccines. METHODS: This is a prospective pilot study conducted in an urban teaching hospital pediatric clinic. The Patient Activated Learning System (PALS) intervention included 3 web-based videos with HPV vaccine-related educational content. Participants were parents of adolescent patients, aged 11-17 years, and young adult patients, aged 18-26 years. Enrolled participants completed an HPV vaccine knowledge survey before and after watching PALS; paired scores were evaluated. Acceptability and participant-reported impact of PALS modules were measured via Likert-scale surveys. RESULTS: 132 individuals were approached; 101 (76%) enrolled and completed the study. Participants self-identified as Hispanic (50%), non-Hispanic Black (23%), non-Hispanic White (7%), Asian (6%), American/Alaskan/Hawaiian Native or Pacific Islander (5%). Half reported earning ≤$40,000 annually; 57% had only a high school education. Post-intervention knowledge scores were increased compared to baseline (9.87/27 points vs 17.53/27 points, p < 0.01). PALS modules were reported as enjoyable to use and understandable (89% and 93%, respectively), and improved participants' understanding of the importance of HPV vaccination (90%). Of the 18 patients unvaccinated at baseline, 39% received 1 shot of the HPV vaccine within one month. CONCLUSION: The PALS HPV vaccine educational intervention was feasible, acceptable, and improved knowledge among a diverse, underserved population. Our intervention may positively influence HPV vaccination rates, with potential to overcome HPV vaccine hesitancy.

Perspectives of Black Adults Living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease on Barriers to Cardiovascular Disease Prevention.

RATIONALE: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Black women with COPD are at elevated risk of CVD-related mortality compared to White women. CVD risk factors are undertreated in Black men and women. However, barriers to CVD prevention from the perspective of Black individuals living with COPD have not been previously identified. OBJECTIVE: To identify barriers and facilitators for CVD prevention among Black individuals living with COPD. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured interviews with Black participants living with COPD and attending clinics at two urban hospitals. Participants were included if they had physician confirmed COPD diagnosis and presence of CVD or CVD risk factors. Participants were interviewed until thematic saturation was reached, with additional interviews conducted to confirm saturation. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis, iteratively revising, and updating the codebook by consensus of the study team. Codes were grouped into categories, subthemes, and themes. Themes were organized using the social ecological framework into individual, interpersonal, health system, and societal levels. RESULTS: We interviewed 30 participants of mean age 67.8 ± 8.3 years; 17 (57%) were Black women and 13 (43%) were Black men. Individual-level themes were: living with COPD and resultant multimorbidity impacts CVD prevention (theme 1), and self-efficacy and advocacy impact care received (theme 2). At the interpersonal level: supportive relationships facilitate improved access to CVD prevention (theme 3). System level themes were: health systems are not designed to support patients with COPD and CVD (theme 4), and health systems do not deliver effective patient education (theme 5). At the societal level: structural barriers and racism prevent accessing care and adopting a healthy lifestyle (theme 6). CONCLUSIONS: We identified barriers to CVD prevention at all levels of the socio-ecological framework for Black individuals living with COPD. To maximize their impact, future interventions to prevent CVD among individuals with COPD can use these findings to target barriers at multiple levels.

Social Determinants of Health and Cardiologist Involvement in the Care of Adults Hospitalized for Heart Failure.

Importance: Involvement of a cardiologist in the care of adults during a hospitalization for heart failure (HF) is associated with reduced rates of in-hospital mortality and hospital readmission. However, not all patients see a cardiologist when they are hospitalized for HF. Objective: To determine whether social determinants of health (SDOH) are associated with cardiologist involvement in the management of adults hospitalized for HF. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study used data from the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Difference in Stroke (REGARDS) cohort. Participants included adults who experienced an adjudicated hospitalization for HF between 2009 and 2017 in all 48 contiguous states in the US. Data analysis was performed from November 2022 to January 2023. Exposures: A total of 9 candidate SDOH, aligned with the Healthy People 2030 conceptual model, were examined: Black race, social isolation, social network and/or caregiver availability, educational attainment less than high school, annual household income less than $35 000, living in rural area, living in a zip code with high poverty, living in a Health Professional Shortage Area, and living in a state with poor public health infrastructure. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was cardiologist involvement, defined as involvement of a cardiologist as the primary responsible clinician or as a consultant. Bivariate associations between each SDOH and cardiologist involvement were examined using Poisson regression with robust SEs. Results: The study included 1000 participants (median [IQR] age, 77.8 [71.5-84.0] years; 479 women [47.9%]; 414 Black individuals [41.4%]; and 492 of 876 with low income [56.2%]) hospitalized at 549 unique US hospitals. Low annual household income (<$35 000) was the only SDOH with a statistically significant association with cardiologist involvement (relative risk, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.82-0.95). In a multivariable analysis adjusting for age, race, sex, HF characteristics, comorbidities, and hospital characteristics, low income remained inversely associated with cardiologist involvement (relative risk, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.82-0.97). Conclusions and Relevance: This cohort study found that adults with low household income were 11% less likely than adults with higher incomes to have a cardiologist involved in their care during a hospitalization for HF. These findings suggest that socioeconomic status may bias the care provided to patients hospitalized for HF.

Myocardial infarction and physical function: the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke prospective cohort study.

Objective: To examine associations between myocardial infarction (MI) and multiple physical function metrics. Methods: Among participants aged ≥45 years in the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke prospective cohort study, instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), activities of daily living (ADL), gait speed, chair stands, and Short Form-12 physical component summary (PCS) were assessed after approximately 10 years of follow-up. We examined associations between MI and physical function (no MI [n = 9,472], adjudicated MI during follow-up [n = 288, median 4.7 years prior to function assessment], history of MI at baseline [n = 745], history of MI at baseline and adjudicated MI during follow-up [n = 70, median of 6.7 years prior to function assessment]). Models were adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, health behaviours, depressive symptoms, cognitive impairment, body mass index, diabetes, hypertension, and urinary albumin to creatinine ratio. We examined subgroups defined by age, gender, and race. Results: The average age at baseline was 62 years old, 56% were women, and 35% Black. MI was significantly associated with worse IADL and ADL scores, IADL dependency, chair stands, and PCS, but not ADL dependency or gait speed. For example, compared to participants without MI, IADL scores (possible range 0-14, higher score represents worse function) were greater for participants with MI during follow-up (difference: 0.37 [95% CI 0.16, 0.59]), MI at baseline (0.26 [95% CI 0.12, 0.41]), and MI at baseline and follow-up (0.71 [95% CI 0.15, 1.26]), p < 0.001. Associations tended to be greater in magnitude among participants who were women and particularly Black women. Conclusion: MI was associated with various measures of physical function. These decrements in function associated with MI may be preventable or treatable.

Comparative Discrimination of Life's Simple 7 and Life's Essential 8 to Stratify Cardiovascular Risk: Is the Added Complexity Worth It?

BACKGROUND: Life's Simple 7 (LS7) is an easily calculated and interpreted metric of cardiovascular health based on 7 domains: smoking, diet, physical activity, body mass index, blood pressure, cholesterol, and fasting glucose. The Life's Essential 8 (LE8) metric was subsequently introduced, adding sleep metrics and revisions of the previous 7 domains. Although calculating LE8 requires additional information, we hypothesized that it would be a more reliable index of cardiovascular health. METHODS: Both the LS7 and LE8 metrics yield scores with higher values indicating lower risk. These were calculated among 11 609 Black and White participants free of baseline cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke study, enrolled in 2003 to 2007, and followed for a median of 13 years. Differences in 10-year risk of incident CVD (coronary heart disease or stroke) were calculated as a function LS7, and LE8 scores were calculated using Kaplan-Meier and proportional hazards analyses. Differences in incident CVD discrimination were quantified by difference in the c-statistic. RESULTS: For both LS7 and LE8, the 10-year risk was approximately 5% for participants around the 99th percentile of scores, and a 4× higher 20% risk for participants around the first percentile. Comparing LS7 to LE8, 10-year risk was nearly identical for individuals at the same relative position in score distribution. For example, the "cluster" of 2013 participants with an LS7 score of 7 was at the 35.8th percentile in distribution of LS7 scores, and had an estimated 10-year CVD risk of 8.4% (95% CI, 7.2%-9.8%). In a similar location in the LE8 distribution, the 1457 participants with an LE8 score of 60±2.5 at the 39.4th percentile of LE8 scores, with a 10-year risk of CVD of 8.5% (95% CI, 7.1%-10.1%), similar to the cluster defined by LS7. The age-race-sex adjusted c-statistic of the LS7 model was 0.691 (95% CI, 0.667-0.705), and 0.695 for LE8 (95% CI, 0.681-0.709) (P for difference, 0.12). CONCLUSIONS: Both LS7 and LE8 were associated with incident CVD, with discrimination of the 2 indices practically indistinguishable. As a simpler metric, LS7 may be favored for use by the general population and clinicians.

Towards diagnostic excellence on academic ward teams: building a conceptual model of team dynamics in the diagnostic process.

OBJECTIVES: Achieving diagnostic excellence on medical wards requires teamwork and effective team dynamics. However, the study of ward team dynamics in teaching hospitals is relatively underdeveloped. We aim to enhance understanding of how ward team members interact in the diagnostic process and of the underlying behavioral, psychological, and cognitive mechanisms driving team interactions. METHODS: We used mixed-methods to develop and refine a conceptual model of how ward team dynamics in an academic medical center influence the diagnostic process. First, we systematically searched existing literature for conceptual models and empirical studies of team dynamics. Then, we conducted field observations with thematic analysis to refine our model. RESULTS: We present a conceptual model of how medical ward team dynamics influence the diagnostic process, which serves as a roadmap for future research and interventions in this area. We identified three underexplored areas of team dynamics that are relevant to diagnostic excellence and that merit future investigation (1): ward team structures (e.g., team roles, responsibilities) (2); contextual factors (e.g., time constraints, location of team members, culture, diversity); and (3) emergent states (shared mental models, psychological safety, team trust, and team emotions). CONCLUSIONS: Optimizing the diagnostic process to achieve diagnostic excellence is likely to depend on addressing all of the potential barriers and facilitators to ward team dynamics presented in our model.

Implementing practice facilitation in research: how facilitators spend their time guiding practices to improve blood pressure control.

BACKGROUND: Practice facilitators (PFs) coach practices through quality improvement (QI) initiatives aimed at enhancing patient outcomes and operational efficiencies. Practice facilitation is a dynamic intervention that, by design, is tailored to practices' unique needs and contexts. Little research has explored the amount of time PFs spend with practices on QI activities. This short report expands on previously published work that detailed a 12-month practice facilitation intervention as part of the Southeastern Collaboration to Improve Blood Pressure Control (SEC) trial, which focused on improving hypertension control among people living in rural settings in the southeastern USA. This report analyzes data on the time PFs spent to guide 32 primary care practices in implementing QI activities to support enhanced outcomes in patients with high blood pressure. METHODS: The SEC trial employed four certified PFs across all practice sites, who documented time spent: (1) driving to support practices; (2) working on-site with staff and clinicians; and (3) communicating remotely (phone, email, or video conference) with practice members. We analyzed the data using descriptive statistics to help understand time devoted to individual and aggregated tasks. Additionally, we explored correlations between practice characteristics and time spent with PFs. RESULTS: In aggregate, the PFs completed 416 visits to practices and spent an average of 130 (SD 65) min per visit driving to and from practices. The average time spent on-site per visit with practices was 87 (SD 37) min, while an average of 17 (SD 12) min was spent on individual remote communications. During the 12-month intervention, 1131 remote communications were conducted with practices. PFs spent most of their time with clinical staff members (n = 886 instances) or with practice managers alone (n = 670 instances) while relatively few on-site visits were conducted with primary care providers alone (n = 15). In 19 practices, no communications were solely with providers. No significant correlations were found between time spent on PF activities and a practices' percent of Medicaid and uninsured patients, staff-provider ratio, or federally qualified health center (FQHC) status. CONCLUSIONS: PFs working with practices serving rural patients with hypertension devote substantial time to driving, highlighting the importance of optimizing a balance between time spent on-site vs. communicating remotely. Most time spent was with clinical staff, not primary care providers. These findings may be useful to researchers and business leaders who design, test, and implement efficient facilitation services. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NIH ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02866669 . Registered on 15 August 2016. NHLBI AWARD number: PCS-1UH3HL130691.

Prescribing patterns of fall risk-increasing drugs in older adults hospitalized for heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Older adults hospitalized for heart failure (HF) are at risk for falls after discharge. One modifiable contributor to falls is fall risk-increasing drugs (FRIDs). However, the prevalence of FRIDs among older adults hospitalized for HF is unknown. We describe patterns of FRIDs use and examine predictors of a high FRID burden. METHODS: We used the national biracial REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study, a prospective cohort recruited from 2003-2007. We included REGARDS participants aged ≥ 65 years discharged alive after a HF hospitalization from 2003-2017. We determined FRIDs -cardiovascular (CV) and non-cardiovascular (non-CV) medications - at admission and discharge from chart abstraction of HF hospitalizations. We examined the predictors of a high FRID burden at discharge via modified Poisson regression with robust standard errors. RESULTS: Among 1147 participants (46.5% women, mean age 77.6 years) hospitalized at 676 hospitals, 94% were taking at least 1 FRID at admission and 99% were prescribed at least 1 FRID at discharge. The prevalence of CV FRIDs was 92% at admission and 98% at discharge, and the prevalence of non-CV FRIDs was 32% at admission and discharge. The most common CV FRID at admission (88%) and discharge (93%) were antihypertensives; the most common agents were beta blockers (61% at admission, 75% at discharge), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (36% vs. 42%), and calcium channel blockers (32% vs. 28%). Loop diuretics had the greatest change in prevalence (53% vs. 72%). More than half of the cohort (54%) had a high FRID burden (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) score ≥ 6), indicating high falls risk after discharge. In a multivariable Poisson regression analysis, the factors strongly associated with a high FRID burden at discharge included hypertension (PR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.20, 1.65), mood disorder (PR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.10, 1.38), and hyperpolypharmacy (PR: 1.88, 95% CI: 1.64, 2.14). CONCLUSIONS: FRID use was nearly universal among older adults hospitalized for HF; more than half had a high FRID burden at discharge. Further work is needed to guide the management of a common clinical conundrum whereby guideline indications for treating HF may contribute to an increased risk for falls.

Allostatic load and incident heart failure in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study.

BACKGROUND: Allostatic load (AL) is the physiologic "wear and tear" on the body from stress. Yet, despite stress being implicated in the development heart failure (HF), it is unknown whether AL is associated with incident HF events. METHODS: We examined 16,765 participants without HF at baseline from the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) cohort. The main exposure was AL score quartile. AL was determined according to 11 physiologic parameters, whereby each parameter was assigned points (0-3) based on quartiles within the sample, and points were summed to create a total AL score ranging from 0-33. The outcome was incident HF event. We examined the association between AL quartile (Q1-Q4) and incident HF events using Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for demographics, socioeconomic factors, and lifestyle. RESULTS: The mean age was 64 ± 9.6 years, 61.5% were women, and 38.7% were Black participants. Over a median follow up of 11.4 years, we observed 750 incident HF events (635 HF hospitalizations and 115 HF deaths). Compared to the lowest AL quartile (Q1), the fully adjusted hazards of an incident HF event increased in a graded fashion: Q2 HR 1.49 95% CI 1.12-1.98; Q3 HR 2.47 95% CI 1.89-3.23; Q4 HR 4.28 95% CI 3.28-5.59. The HRs for incident HF event in the fully adjusted model that also adjusted for CAD were attenuated, but remained significant and increased in a similar, graded fashion by AL quartile. There was a significant age interaction (p-for-interaction < 0.001), whereby the associations were observed across each age stratum, but the HRs were highest among those aged < 65 years. CONCLUSION: AL was associated with incident HF events, suggesting that AL could be an important risk factor and potential target for future interventions to prevent HF.

Disparities in Guideline Concordant Statin Treatment in Individuals With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Rationale: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) affects the prognosis of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Black women with COPD have a disproportionate risk of CVD-related mortality, yet disparities in CVD prevention in COPD are unknown. Objectives: We aimed to identify race-sex differences in the receipt of statin treatment for CVD prevention, and whether these differences were explained by factors influencing health care utilization in the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) COPD study sub-cohort. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis among REGARDS Medicare beneficiaries with COPD. Our primary outcome was the presence of statin on in-home pill bottle review among individuals with an indication. Prevalence ratios (PR) for statin treatment among race-sex groups compared to White men were estimated using Poisson regression with robust variance. We then adjusted for covariates previously shown to impact health care utilization. Results: Of the 2032 members within the COPD sub-cohort with sufficient data, 1435 participants (19% Black women, 14% Black men, 28% White women, and 39% White men) had a statin indication. All race-sex groups were less likely to receive statins than White men in unadjusted models. After adjusting for covariates that influence health care utilization, Black women (PR 0.76, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.67 to 0.86) and White women (PR 0.84 95% CI 0.76 to 0.91) remained less likely to be treated compared to White men. Conclusions: All race-sex groups were less likely to receive statin treatment in the REGARDS COPD sub-cohort compared to White men. This difference persisted in women after controlling for individual health care utilization factors, suggesting structural interventions are needed.

Estimated Population Health Benefits of Intensive Systolic Blood Pressure Treatment Among SPRINT-Eligible US Adults.

BACKGROUND: The Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) demonstrated an intensive (<120 mm Hg) vs. standard (<140 mm Hg) systolic blood pressure (SBP) goal lowered cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Estimating the effect of intensive SBP lowering among SPRINT-eligible adults most likely to benefit can guide implementation efforts. METHODS: We studied SPRINT participants and SPRINT-eligible participants in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Study and National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES). A published algorithm of predicted CVD benefit with intensive SBP treatment was used to categorize participants into low, medium, or high predicted benefit. CVD event rates were estimated with intensive and standard treatment. RESULTS: Median age was 67.0, 72.0, and 64.0 years in SPRINT, SPRINT-eligible REGARDS, and SPRINT-eligible NHANES participants, respectively. The proportion with high predicted benefit was 33.0% in SPRINT, 39.0% in SPRINT-eligible REGARDS, and 23.5% in SPRINT-eligible NHANES. The estimated difference in CVD event rate (standard minus intensive) was 7.0 (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.4-10.7), 8.4 (95% CI 8.2-8.5), and 6.1 (95% CI 5.9-6.3) per 1,000 person-years in SPRINT, SPRINT-eligible REGARDS participants, and SPRINT-eligible NHANES participants, respectively (median 3.2-year follow-up). Intensive SBP treatment could prevent 84,300 (95% CI 80,800-87,920) CVD events per year in 14.1 million SPRINT-eligible US adults; 29,400 and 28,600 would be in 7.0 million individuals with medium or high predicted benefit, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the population health benefit from intensive SBP goals could be achieved by treating those characterized by a previously published algorithm as having medium or high predicted benefit.